Pura Vida!!! (Part Three)

Leg Three: Playa Hermosa

Day Seven

Today was a transfer day from Arenal down to the coast.  Part of this transfer included a white-water-rafting excursion.  Of all of the adventure activities we had planned, I probably was the least apprehensive about this one because it was the only one I had done before.  A van picked up eight of us from Arenal and drove us to the Rio Tenorio.  We were all under the impression that part of our transfer would be, literally, down the river.  It turns out, however, that we stopped on our way and then took another transfer back up towards the mountains, rafted down a ways, transferred back up to our origin and then back down to the valley.  So it ended up being a really, really long transfer.  

Naturally, we became friends with the six other people (3 couples who were all honeymooning, one of which we had done rappelling with a few days prior.)  We joined up with another group of four and were given a very brief this is how you don't die or lose teeth rafting lesson.  It was at this point that all of my confidence vanished and I became very apprehensive!  S laughed later because, judging by the pictures, you'd never know I was scared out of my mind.

I failed to mention earlier that on each of our adventures there was a guide with a camera in a waterproof case that took most of our adventure pictures and then would sell the disc to us.  It was brilliant on their part.  We got some great pictures but I didn't risk damaging my brand new camera.

We got put in a raft with Hansell, our guide, and John and Kate (they called themselves John and Kate minus eight and were adorable.)  John pulled the most awesome faces of anyone that day.  Kate and I were put in the middle and were probably there more as moral support, but I'm happy to say that I did, on one occasion, yank her in when she started to fall out of the raft.

This next series is a class 4 rapid (class 5 and impassable when the water is higher.)  Just prior to this, a girl in the raft behind us had fallen out and was trapped under the raft in a whirlpool.  It took my apprehension to full-on panic.  Also, Hansell just kept telling us that, no matter what we did, hold on to the oars so that we didn't hurt anyone else.  I was scared to death that I was going to throw my oar back into Hansell's face and knock some teeth out.  We neared the rapid (waterfall. Let's be honest) and I hoped we wouldn't tip.

I think it was at this point I knew we were goners.

I didn't realize till we were back home looking at pictures that Hansell hadn't fallen out.  What the heck?!

Next thing I knew we were bobbing around in the turbulent water and I was holding onto 2 oars.  I was so proud of myself for not only keeping mine but rescuing someone else's.  Until I heard S keep yelling Let Go!! which is what I think you see in the picture below.

Every time we came out of a rapid Hansell would have us lift our oars in the air and exclaim Pura Vida!

After we returned to base camp and changed into dry clothes, they fed us lunch and we were on our way.  We arrived at Playa Hermosa and it was pouring rain.  S went out into the ocean immediately and I, still a little rattled from our river experience, wouldn't get in past my knees.  S was, like, what the heck, you just rappelled down a 300 foot waterfall!  We walked to an awesome pizza joint that evening--our best dinner meal that trip--went back to the hotel and crashed.

Day Eight

The next day was our last planned activity but it wasn't until the afternoon so we spent the morning at the beach.  Here are some pictures of Playa Hermosa:

I have NEVER seen so many seashells in my life.

Our hotel was right on the beach.

There were these crazy lizards everywhere and they were huge.  I didn't see any at first because they were so well hidden in the trees but once you knew what to look for...well let's just say it's good S is afraid of snakes and not lizards.

That afternoon we had a transfer to a nearby beach, Playa Coco, where a boat picked us up and took us out to this enormous Catamaran.  Costa Rica is very interesting in that I never saw a Marina the whole time we were there.  Everyone just anchors their boats out in the bay and uses smaller boats to access the shore.  We literally hopped in a power boat right off of the beach.

If I were to name my absolute favorite part of this whole trip it would be this afternoon.

I told S after Boy was born that I needed a beach vacation, badly.  And this is why.  Something about being near the water and then on the water that whole afternoon almost...healed me.

We shared the boat with several other people but for the most part I just felt like it was S and I.  There was an open bar and I came away with some really good (nonalcoholic) drinks.  A Pina Colada with fresh pineapple is Amazing.

The Costa Rican shoreline is incredible.  I had no idea it would be so green and lush.  The hills just seemed to melt right into the ocean.

And I've never seen such blue water, especially for it being the Pacific Ocean.

The Catamaran took us to a private cove and let us off for an hour of snorkeling.  It was Awesome.  After awhile S and I made our way up onto this private beach where there were literally thousands of hermit crabs.  It should have creeped me out but I thought it was so fascinating.

I think everyone got in for maybe a few minutes but ended back up on the boat.  S and I were in the water almost the whole time and were the last ones to get back on the boat.  I didn't want to leave.  On our way back they fed us a really good homemade dinner and we spread out to enjoy the setting sun.

I have never seen a sunset like this in my life.  Every time since we've been home that I've started to feel overwhelmed about something, I mentally go back to that evening.  Amazing.

Day Nine

Today was our last full day in Costa Rica.  We didn't set the alarm.

I finally got out past the waves on our beach.  I was mad at myself for not having been out there the entire time.  The water was ridiculously warm and the undertow wasn't bad at all.  (Side-note: I thought it was so strange that snorkeling didn't bother me at all but that the feeling of the undertow freaked me out a little.  Is that weird?)  I reapplied sunblock religiously--except after my last time out in the ocean.  I ended up a little sun-burnt.  So grateful this happened on our last day there.

For lunch we walked down the beach a mile to a recommended taco shop.  They weren't Taco Taco but they were pretty darn close!  The fish fillets in their fish taco were breaded with Panko and were so delicious.

It was so good that S and I decided to go there again that evening for dinner.

We were one of two groups there and the ambiance was so cool.  Everything about Playa Hermosa was so cool.

Day Ten

After breakfast and lounging around a bit, our transfer to the airport came and picked us up.  It was pouring rain again so it made it a little easier to leave.  At this point I was really excited to get home and see our kids, too.  During our layover in Atlanta we Face-timed with the kiddos.  It was the first time we'd done so that Boy was still awake.  I wish I had a screenshot of his expression when he saw our faces.  It was so cute!  Bean kind of had an idea of what was going on and we were able to talk to her every night.  But Boy had no clue where we had gone.  It was good to know he had missed us!  We got home after midnight.   Our only hiccup on our way back was that my luggage didn't make our connecting flight.  It got held up in customs--the only thing I can think of that would have held it up was my bag of seashells (which they ended up not confiscating, thankfully.)

~

I've thought over and over again about our trip, especially while writing these blog posts.  It was a once in a lifetime trip.  However, we've already talked about what we want to do next time we go!  S kept asking me how it compared to Hawaii.  I like Hawaii, trust me, but Costa Rica is SO much better!  I've been trying to pinpoint why I feel this way.  The resorts were great and the activities were even greater, but I think the thing that did it for me was just how awesome the people are down there.  That's one reason we loved Monteverde so much--it was the part of the trip where we felt most immersed in the culture.

I was cut off driving last week and then the driver who cut me off proceeded to then flip me the bird.  I turned to S and just dropped my jaw.  He held up one hand "Americans" and then the other "Costa Ricans."  It's a silly example, but really sums up the difference between cultures.  They are so laid back and, as we passed others driving small trucks, riding horses or even pulling an oxcart, a friendly nod of the head, wave of the hand and "Hola!" ensued.  In fact, the term Pura Vida is their unofficial national saying and roughly translates into "Enjoy your life."  Wow, we could really take a lesson from them.

This trip changed how I look at the world.  It was my first time traveling internationally.  S has been a little leery about traveling anywhere outside of the U.S. but we had heard to many great things about Costa Rica that we decided to give it a try and I am SO glad we did!  So now I am passing it on to you, the reader: Costa Rica is incredible and if you ever have the opportunity to go, please please please do!